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Join the Ipswich River Watershed Association for the first of our Beginners Paddles if you're interested in learning how to canoe or kayak, or just want to get out with a group. On this guided group paddle you'll be given an introduction on paddling and explore a stretch of our beautiful river. All are welcome, but spaces are limited so please RSVP to Meghan at msullivan@ipswichriver.org or Rachel at rschneider@ipswichriver.org.

Canoeing and kayaking are a wonderful complement to a meditative practice. Our paddle will be led by Kent Harrop a graduate of the Shalem Institute in Contemplative Leadership and a life-long lover of rivers and paddling. Before entering the water we’ll be introduced to a few simple yet profound meditation mantras designed to quiet our minds.

Come to Harold Parker State Forest, for a birding seesion with the park interpreter! Meet at Campground Nature Center- Learn about the local bird population from our park interpreter while enjoying some amateur bird watching. Bring binoculars if you have them.For all ages.

We will read by Lindsay Barrett George, take a close-up look at some beaver artifacts, and then take a walk to Rockery Pond to see a beaver lodge, dam, beaver chews, and scent mounds. Find out why beaver teeth are orange and what they use their tails for! We may even try our luck at making our own beaver lodge.

Want to canoe or kayak on the Ipswich River? Would you like to help support the health and longevity of the river while you do? Join the Ipswich River Watershed Association for their second annual Paddle-a-thon. You can choose to it alone, or take a guided social paddle, and all participants invited to join the party after their paddle between noon and 3pm. This fun fundraising event is open to all, and the IRWA even has a limited supply of kayaks and canoes, so register today!

Join The Trustees of Reservations to kayak the winding waters that meander through the marsh between the Ipswich River and Essex Bay. We’ll start our adventure at Steep Hill Beach, then paddle into the Ipswich River to Fox Creek, traveling through the oldest man-made tidewater canal in the United States! As we wend our way through the marsh, we’ll be on the lookout for herons, egrets, and other shore birds -- with luck we’ll spot an osprey hunting for its supper! We’ll supply the kayaks and lifejackets; please call to learn more.

Have you ever wanted to design your own game? Join Green Door Labs founder Kellian Adams and museum staff to plan and create a digital game set inside the museum. You will work in small groups to invent a game designed to help visitors explore the museum. After prototyping the concept on paper, you will build the game on the digital platform and test it with real museum visitors. The best games have the opportunity to be featured in the museum.

Join Ranger Dave Williams for a walk along Crane Beach to look for birds that frequent the shore during winter. Birders will enjoy the opportunity to spot species they don’t often see, while beginners will learn what to look and listen for to help identify these feathered friends. Bring your binoculars and your life list!

March is the time for sugaring in New England. Appleton keeps this very special tradition alive by tapping the farms’ beautiful maple trees and producing wood-fired, small-batch syrup. The first part of the workshop will include a leisurely walk around the farmstead to show how sap is harvested and collected. The tour will wrap up at our sugar shack so you can see (and smell!) the transformation of sap to syrup. You’ll gather in the farm kitchen for the second part of the workshop, where chef Carolyn Grieco will teach how to make some of the most delectable maple syrup recipes. Workshop ends with a generous sampling of all our delicious maple dishes!

This ‘back-to-basics’ series provides a comprehensive approach to the fundamentals of cooking as we explore traditional culinary methods & techniques to enhance your knowledge, skill, and understanding in the kitchen. Each workshop will focus in-depth on a particular skill set, with guided hands-on practice as we prepare seasonal dishes applying specific techniques. Proper knife skills, measuring, and kitchen tools will also be discussed, and all workshops include chef instruction, printed recipes, and a light lunch in the farmhouse!